Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock is set to have a high-profile meeting with Pope Francis tomorrow in Vatican City, as part of an official congressional delegation. Warnock, who juggles the roles of U.S. senator and senior pastor of Atlanta's historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, has shared his excitement for the upcoming encounter.
The senator looks forward to discussing common goals with the pontiff, particularly their commitment to assisting the impoverished and tackling climate change issues. "I look forward to meeting with Pope Francis to hear how he models his faith in the public square and how he uses it to build bridges," Warnock said, in a statement posted on FOX 5 Atlanta. His agenda in Rome is also expected to include meetings designed to directly benefit his work for Georgia in the U.S. Senate.
Through his dual vocations, Warnock has consistently shown a commitment to centering the needs of the less fortunate. He has been inspired by Pope Francis, whom he admires as a transformative leader. "He comes out of a kind of theological bent that tends to center the poor," Warnock told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "And we see this in his ministry: the humble ways in which he prostrates himself before the poor, even prisoners, washing their feet. This is the love ethic of Jesus, and I have been inspired by him."
Apart from his audience with the pope, Warnock’s itinerary includes a number of strategic briefings and discussions. He is to expected to visit the NATO Defense College, partake in a roundtable with U.N. officials, and meet with key figures such as Ambassador Jeffrey Prescott and Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Programme. Each session aims to further his understanding of global issues like democracy, security, and humanitarian crises, with an emphasis on faith's role in addressing such matters.
By bringing together the realms of faith and public policy, Warnock echoes the intersectional approach Pope Francis is known for. During his time in Rome, he hopes to harness insights to guide his efforts in the Senate, focusing on poverty alleviation and sustainability. "I live every day in this intersection of faith and public life, faith and public policy," the Atlanta Democrat said in a statement obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "He does it in a very different context. So, as I consider the work that I’m doing in Georgia around centering the needs of poor people, addressing the issue of global poverty and starvation, his is such an important voice."
